Brazilian Airport Adopts Facial Recognition Technology To Speed Up Boarding Process

JAKARTA - Facial biometric technology is still useful and is not considered dangerous in Brazil. Therefore, facial recognition technology is being tested at several airports in the country.

The purpose of this facial biometric trial is as part of a plan to improve airport operations and cost efficiency with the use of next-generation technology.

Test locations include domestic airports in the Brazilian cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Pilots and flight attendants working for Azul, Gol, and Latam airlines were early to try this technology.

The trial has also been carried out on approximately 5,000 passengers at airports serving the cities of Florianopolis, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, as well as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

With facial biometrics, it is believed to be able to speed up the boarding process by removing the requirement to show ID or identity cards to access departure lounges and aircraft.

Quoting ZDNet, Tuesday, November 23, this facial biometric technology was first proposed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Special Secretariat for Digital Management and Government of the Ministry of Economy, this new function is part of the ongoing Safer Boarding program.

Meanwhile, a system based on facial biometrics was developed by the state-owned technology company Serpro. The actual function of the feature, includes when the user needs to access a restricted security area, the device collects facial biometric data of crew members and validates the biometrics of the crew ID database, to confirm the correct status of the individual as a civil aviation crew member and the validity of the ID.

When biometric identification is verified, crew members can access the area without the need to show physical identification, thus avoiding contact between the crew and airport agents. If the process fails, the document can be verified manually.

After an initial two-week trial period at São Paulo's domestic airport, Rio de Janeiro's Santos Dumont airport will also be piloting a feature focused on pilots and flight attendants. The facial biometrics project was preceded by the launch of a digital crew ID.

For information, airlines operating in Brazil such as Gol have been using facial biometrics to speed up boarding at gates since 2019.